It’s no surprise that tech leaders are searching for alternatives to hyperscalers like AWS. Whether you're a CTO wrestling with runaway infrastructure bills or a DevOps engineer tired of managing AWS complexity, the reality is the same: AWS is powerful but expensive, and over time, you're likely paying for far more than you're using.
That’s where Hetzner enters the picture. A European cloud and dedicated server provider with transparent pricing, high-performance hardware, and no surprise billing. More and more companies — from startups to scale-ups — are migrating from AWS to Hetzner and cutting their cloud bills by up to 90%, as widely documented across forums like Reddit and Hacker News.
In this detailed guide, we’ll show you exactly how to migrate from AWS to Hetzner using a proven, step-by-step playbook. We won’t just say "move your servers" — we’ll show you:
What tools to use
What AWS services need replacements
What pitfalls to avoid
How Gart Solutions can support your migration with expert DevOps and infrastructure-as-code capabilities
Forget vendor lock-in. Forget mysterious billing surprises. Let’s walk through how to make your infrastructure leaner, cheaper, and more under your control — without sacrificing performance or reliability.
Common AWS Cost Traps:
Data Egress Fees: AWS charges up to $0.09/GB for outbound traffic — Hetzner includes 20 TB free per VM, then only ~$1/TB after.
Managed Services Premium: AWS RDS, ElastiCache, SQS, Lambda all add layers of cost and margin.
Per-Request Billing: API Gateway, CloudWatch, S3, etc. charge per request — hard to predict and scale.
Storage IOPS: EBS IOPS fees balloon costs for disk-intensive workloads.
A recent Data-Aces migration revealed Hetzner cut costs by 70–80% across compute and storage alone — and by over 90% in bandwidth fees. That’s a massive savings opportunity.
Below are some real cost savings when moving from AWS to Hetzner with the goal of cutting costs (often cited as “90 %” in real-world moves) while minimizing disruption.
Performance & Pricing Table: AWS vs Hetzner
Feature AWS EC2 (t3.medium) Hetzner CPX21 vCPUs 2 2 RAM 4 GB 4 GB Storage EBS (charged separately) 40 GB NVMe (included) Monthly Price (EU) ~$38 + storage €6.90 (all-inclusive) Bandwidth Charged separately 20 TB (included) Performance Moderate (burstable) Dedicated vCPU (Source: Data-Aces, Hetzner Pricing Docs)
Real Cost Savings: From 5x to 10x Cheaper
Let’s model a small-to-medium web app stack:
Resource AWS Monthly Hetzner Monthly Savings 2x t3.medium VMs $76 €13.80 ~82% 1x RDS db.t3.medium $75 Self-hosted DB ~90% 1 TB S3 Storage $23 €2.90 ~87% 2 TB Egress Bandwidth $180 Included ~100% Total $354 ~€20–25 ~93% (Source: Data-Aces, Hetzner Pricing Docs)
These savings are real and repeatable. You just need to plan the migration carefully — and that’s what we’re doing next.
High-Level AWS to Hetzner Migration Strategy
Before diving into detailed steps, it’s critical to pick your strategy. There are three broad approaches when migrating from AWS to Hetzner (or any non‑AWS infrastructure):
Strategy Description Pros Cons / Risks “Lift & shift” / rehost Copy your existing EC2 / EBS / file systems over to Hetzner VMs or dedicated servers with minimal re-architecture Fastest, with less refactoring Not always feasible (if you use many AWS‑native services), may carry over inefficiencies Replatform / partial refactor Migrate core (e.g., compute, storage) but rework or replace AWS-managed services (RDS → self‑hosted, Lambdas → functions on servers) Better performance/cost balance Requires effort, introduces complexity Refactor / rebuild in Hetzner-native style Re-architect for Hetzner (VPCs, Docker/Kubernetes, automation) from the ground up Maximum long-term flexibility and cost control Longest time, highest upfront risk Table: Migration strategies
Most real-world migrations are hybrid: you start with lift & shift for some parts, then gradually refactor high-cost or high-risk parts.
One recent migration project publicized their result as “cut 90 %” of AWS costs by migrating to Hetzner + OVH and replicating essential AWS features via Terraform & Ansible. (Hacker News)
But beware — that kind of saving is realistic only if:
Your usage is steady/ predictable (not huge autoscaling spikes)
You’re not heavily dependent on AWS-managed services
You’re ready to take responsibility for operations, monitoring, backups, and reliability
Gart Solutions value is that we help you evaluate that risk, determine which strategy fits you, and execute it.
1st: Pre-Migration Phase: Scoping, Auditing, Planning
Before you touch any server, scoping is everything. This is where your migration succeeds or fails. The first step? Take a full inventory of everything running in your AWS account.
Step 1: Inventory & Mapping
EC2 instances
EBS volumes
S3 buckets
IAM roles / users
Security groups / firewalls
RDS / Aurora / ElastiCache / Lambda
CloudWatch / logs / alarms
Route53 zones / DNS entries
SQS, API Gateway, Cognito, and any AWS-native services
Use AWS Config, Cost Explorer, Inframap, or Gart’s audit suite to pull this automatically.
Step 2: Group by Priority & Risk
Make a matrix:
Mission-critical vs low-risk
Stateless vs stateful
Easy to rehost vs tightly coupled to AWS
Step 3: Choose Migration Approach
Lift & Shift: Fastest, but carries AWS inefficiencies
Replatform: Move services but optimize architecture
Refactor: Best long-term, requires dev investment
Example:
AWS Service Action Hetzner Equivalent EC2 Rehost Hetzner Cloud VMs RDS Replatform Self-managed PostgreSQL Lambda Refactor Docker + cron or serverless S3 Rehost Hetzner Object Storage CloudFront Replace Cloudflare / BunnyCDN Table: Hetzner Equivalents to the main AWS services.
Gart Solutions can help design the full architecture, plan migration order, and assess downtime risk per service.
Step 4: Cost Projection Model
Build a spreadsheet estimating:
Current AWS costs (EC2, RDS, S3, etc.)
Target Hetzner resources (CPX, CAX, Storage Boxes, Object Storage)
Estimated total monthly savings
Migration effort required
Tools like infracost.io + Gart’s cost planner can help model this automatically.
2nd: Building the Foundation in Hetzner (Parallel Setup)
Once your AWS audit is complete and you’ve selected a strategy (lift, replatform, refactor), it’s time to build the new home for your infrastructure on Hetzner. This is the "foundation-laying" phase — your Hetzner infrastructure will run in parallel to your AWS environment during testing and validation.
This approach ensures zero production downtime and gives you time to test everything end-to-end before pulling the plug on AWS.
2.1 Account & Project Setup
Create your Hetzner account(s). Hetzner uses Projects inside the account for grouping (like “dev”, “prod”).
Invite users / roles, set up access controls.
Enable billing alerts, quotas, and usage dashboards.
Gart Solutions helps you bootstrap the account, governance, and security policy from day one.
2.2 Networking & VPC Topology
Design private networks, subnets, firewall rules (like AWS VPC + security groups).
Reserve floating IPs (Hetzner analog to AWS elastic IP) for failover.
Set up NAT gateways / Internet gateways, route tables.
Decide on cross‑region / cross‑site connectivity (VPN, interconnect).
Optionally deploy a load balancer (Hetzner’s LB or a custom proxy layer).
In some migrations, teams emulate LB by spinning up CX11 servers with nginx and using floating IPs & automation. This was reported in real-world Reddit migrations. (Reddit)
2.3 Base VM Images & Automation
Choose your OS base (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, etc).
Harden baseline images (SSH keys, firewall, logging, security).
Bake images with configuration management (Ansible, Packer) for consistency.
Deploy staging / test clusters identical to production size but scaled-down.
Gart Solutions can build golden images, implement snapshot & versioning strategy, and automate VM provisioning via Terraform + Ansible.
2.4 Storage & Block Volumes
Provision volumes / block storage equivalent to EBS.
Decide volume types (SSD, NVMe, etc).
Set up disk partitioning, LVM, RAID, or ZFS layers if needed.
Attach volumes to VMs and test I/O performance, benchmarking.
2.5 Object Storage & S3 Migration Plan
Use Hetzner Object Storage buckets (S3-compatible). Hetzner’s documentation offers a guide to migrate from another provider’s buckets. (Hetzner Docs)
Use tools like rclone, s3cmd, MinIO client (mc) for full sync; note custom metadata may be lost except with MinIO client.
For large data sets, consider multi-part uploads, parallel sync, throttling to avoid saturating network.
Gart Solutions can script and orchestrate bucket-level sync with minimal downtime and consistency checks.
2.6 Database Setup
Spin up database servers (e.g. PostgreSQL, MySQL, or your DB of choice).
Configure replication, clustering, high availability, backups, monitoring.
Optionally put in a delay replica for safety.
Preload schemas and test with sample data.
Since Hetzner has no fully managed RDS equivalent, you need to treat this carefully. Gart Solutions can help deploy resilient, scalable DB clusters, handle failover, and manage backups.
2.7 Application & Middleware Stack
Deploy your app stack (containers, runtime, web servers, API servers, caches, etc) in Hetzner staging environment.
Test end-to-end functionality, integrations, network routes.
Set up SSL/TLS (Let’s Encrypt, or your own certs).
Deploy logging, monitoring, alerting stack (Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, ELK, etc).
One migration noted they rebuilt key AWS features (hardening, monitoring, rolling deploys, TLS automation) using Terraform + Ansible. (Hacker News)
2.8 DNS, CDN, & Edge Services
If you used AWS Route 53, migrate your hosted zones / DNS records to Hetzner DNS (or a third-party DNS if you prefer).
Set up TTLs low before cutover.
If you used CloudFront or AWS CDN, evaluate replacing with Cloudflare, BunnyCDN, Fastly, or any CDN of your choice.
Validate DNS propagation, health checks, and failover behavior.
AWS-to-Hetzner Service Mapping Table
AWS Service Hetzner Equivalent / Solution Notes EC2 CPX, CAX, or dedicated servers Similar VM types, better price-perf EBS Attached volumes Use NVMe for high-speed I/O S3 Hetzner Object Storage S3-compatible with CLI tool support RDS Self-hosted PostgreSQL/MySQL Use Ansible + daily snapshot backups Route53 Hetzner DNS or Cloudflare Full DNS control, API-accessible CloudFront Cloudflare, BunnyCDN CDN options with better pricing Lambda Docker containers, Cron + Event Hooks Replace with cron jobs, containers, Nomad SQS Redis Queue, RabbitMQ, NATS Use self-hosted queues CloudWatch Grafana + Prometheus + Loki Full open-source observability stack IAM Hetzner API Tokens + Secrets Mgmt Optional Vault/Keycloak for advanced control Table: AWS-to-Hetzner Service Mapping Table
3rd. - Data Migration & Dual-Writing (Synchronization Phase)
At this point, the Hetzner staging environments are ready. Next, you must bring live data without losing consistency.
3.1 Snapshot / Disk Migration
For EC2 / EBS volumes, create a snapshot, mount it in AWS, and copy data (via rsync, dd, or file-level).
Hetzner docs provide a migration recipe: backup data, scp/rsync to new server, restore users, firewall rules, etc. (Hetzner Docs)
For entire partitions, you can replicate block devices, but be careful with UUIDs, bootloader, etc.
3.2 Database Sync / Replication
Use database replication from the source (AWS RDS or self-hosted) to the target.
Use logical replication or sync tools (e.g., pglogical, binlog replication, etc).
For the final cutover, pause writes or fail traffic to catch up.
Validate consistency, run checksums, compare counts.
3.3 Dual-Writing / Shadow Writes (if possible)
If your application allows, implement dual writes (write to both AWS and Hetzner DB) during the migration window.
Use feature flags, flags to route reads to one side, writes to both, etc.
This smooths the transition and reduces downtime risk.
3.4 Incremental File Sync
Use rsync, unison, or incremental sync scripts to keep changing files in sync.
Use a cron job or a watcher-based incremental tool.
During final cutover, run a last sync.
3.5 Object Storage Final Sync
Re-run your s3cmd / mc / rclone sync to flush any changed objects.
Validate checksums, metadata, and permissions.
3.6 Verification & Smoke Testing
Validate that data is correct (row counts, file sizes, checksums).
Run functional and integration tests in the Hetzner environment.
Monitor logs, metrics, error rates.
Compare performance between source and target.
Gart Solutions can orchestrate all these sync tasks with prebuilt scripts and verify consistency automatically.
4th. - Cutover / Switch Traffic (Switchover Phase)
With data synced and validation done, now you switch user traffic from AWS to Hetzner.
4.1 Freeze Writes / Quiesce AWS
Stop new writes on AWS (maintenance window, read-only mode, etc).
Wait for final replication, flush all queues, and ensure no lag.
4.2 DNS / Floating IP Switch
Reassign floating IPs or public IPs in Hetzner.
Update DNS records (lower TTL to speed propagation).
Use DNS failover, health checks, or weighted routing if available.
Monitor for propagation errors.
4.3 Enable Traffic & Monitor
Slowly ramp traffic to Hetzner (e.g., 10 %, 50 %, then 100 %).
Watch error rates, latencies, resource usage,and logs.
Roll back if something catastrophic happens (DNS TTL helps).
Validate stability over several hours/days.
One anecdote from Reddit:
“The migrations … implemented CX11 servers with nginx to do load balancing … floating IP automation was tricky.” (Reddit)
Gart Solutions can provide the automation and control logic for IP switching and traffic cutover to minimize human error.
4.4 Decommission AWS Resources
Once confident, shut down AWS EC2, RDS, S3 buckets, etc.
Clean up IAM, snapshots, EBS, autoscaling, etc.
Keep backups or roll-back snapshots for a grace period.
5th. - Post‑Migration, Optimization & Hardening
The cutover is not the end. You now own full operations and must optimize, mature, and ensure reliability.
5.1 Performance Tuning & Cost Optimization
Size down over-provisioned VMs.
Use autoscaling if needed (with scripts / custom logic).
Tune database, caching, and query performance.
Monitor usage and right-size volumes, storage classes.
Optimize network egress and minimize cross-DC traffic.
5.2 Monitoring, Logging, and Alerting
Implement Prometheus, Grafana, Alertmanager, logging stack (Loki, ELK, etc).
Monitor metrics: CPU, memory, disk, I/O, network, and application errors.
Add alert thresholds, SLA-based alerts, and anomaly detection.
Audit logs, access logs, and enable security monitoring.
In a published migration, they rebuilt AWS features like rolling deploys, auditing, SSH policies, monitoring, and alerting via Ansible & Terraform. (Hacker News)
Gart Solutions can provide this stack out-of-box or adapt your existing one.
5.3 Backup, Disaster Recovery, and DR Planning
Build a backup strategy: full, incremental, offsite (e.g., backup to object storage, remote region).
Test restore procedures regularly.
Spinning up a cold standby in another DC or region.
Document incident playbooks.
5.4 Security Hardening & Compliance
Enforce firewall rules, security groups.
SSH hardening, key rotation.
Implement intrusion detection, SELinux, audit, and process isolation.
Network segmentation (public vs private subnets).
Pen tests, vulnerability scans.
If you need ISO 27001, GDPR, etc, capture all controls.
The migration to European cloud (Hetzner + OVH) cited that they preserved ISO 27001 alignment using Ansible roles for hardening, alerting, deployments, etc. (Hacker News)
Gart Solutions specializes in security & compliance hardening in such migrations.
5.5 Continuous Improvement & Automation
Automate deployments (CI/CD pipelines) targeting your new Hetzner environment.
Use Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, Ansible) for reproducibility.
Add self-healing, scaling, chaos testing.
Iteratively refine architecture, storage tiers, and caches.
6th. - Common Challenges & Pitfalls (and How Gart Solutions Helps)
Here’s where many migrations get stuck — but with proper attention, you can avoid or mitigate these issues.
Challenge Description Mitigation / Advice AWS-managed services are not present in Hetzner E.g. Lambda, Kinesis, SQS, managed RDS, EventBridge Replace with open-source equivalents, host them yourself, or use third-party services. Gart Solutions helps choose and integrate replacements. Network latency and inter-DC instability Hetzner’s backbone may be less robust across many regions Avoid cross-DC traffic when possible; architect locality; monitor network; accept in some cases lower reliability. Floating IP (elastic IP) automation complexity Reassigning public IPs during cutover is tricky Gart Solutions builds scripts/automation to manage IP reassignment, failover logic, and net rules. Consistency of data during cutover Replication lag, drift, and race conditions Use dual writes, quiesce writes carefully, and validate checksums. DNS propagation delays Slow TTL changes impact cutover Use low TTL well before, monitor propagation. Operational maturity & support burden You now manage everything on your own Gart Solutions can act as your managed services / second-line support and help mature ops. Unexpected performance bottlenecks Differences in virtualization, disk I/O, and network Benchmark early, tune, choose right VM types, work with us to profile bottlenecks. Lock‑in to AWS IaC (CloudFormation, CDK) These are not portable to Hetzner Migrate to Terraform, rewrite IaC. Gart Solutions helps port your stacks. Team knowledge / expertise gap Your team may be unfamiliar with Hetzner, managing infrastructure Gart Solutions can mentor your engineers, share playbooks, and provide operational support.
From Reddit:
“Network somewhat unstable when you operate a large microservice deployment… missing drives, servers that won’t boot … cross region sucks a bit due to network interruptions.” (Reddit)
That’s exactly the kind of issue Gart Solutions can anticipate and guard against: we can put in redundant paths, failover logic, and monitoring to catch these faults.
Why Choose Gart Solutions as a Migration Partner?
When choosing a migration partner, you want more than just a “contractor that moves VMs.” Gart Solutions offers:
End-to-end service — From assessment, architecture, building, cutover, post‑migration hardening, to long-term managed support.
Risk-aware planning — We perform failure mode analysis, build rollbacks, and stage migrations to minimize downtime.
Prebuilt modules & templates — For common stacks (web app, API, DB, caching, queueing) we have reusable Terraform + Ansible modules optimized for Hetzner.
Cost modeling & validation — We help you verify that the “cut 90%” target is realistic for your workload, and guard against surprises.
Operations transition & training — We upskill your team in the new environment and optionally act as your managed ops partner.
Security & compliance focus — We bring experience in ISO 27001, GDPR, security hardening, audit controls, so the migration doesn’t compromise your posture.
Gart Solutions is not just moving your infrastructure — we’re enabling you to run reliably, securely, and cost-effectively on Hetzner after the move.
Gart’s Case Study: Why Hetzner is a Game-Changer for High-Traffic Workloads
About: An iGaming company planned to host a platform expecting 20,000 users, offering free trials with game downloads (500MB–1GB each) and targeting 4,000 paid subscribers.
Challenge: On AWS, traffic costs from 16,000 free users (up to 10GB each) made the business model unsustainable. Projected $80,000 revenue wouldn’t cover AWS egress fees.
Solution: Gart Solutions recommended migrating to Hetzner Private Cloud, ensuring predictable, low-cost infrastructure optimized for heavy traffic workloads.
Result:
Infrastructure costs slashed
Business model became profitable & sustainable
Supported high-traffic growth without AWS cost overhead
Learn more about the case of migration to Hetzner.
Example Migration Walkthrough
Here’s a condensed example of how a migration might execute:
1. Assessment & planning (2 weeks)
Inventory AWS stack, build dependency map, choose lift & shift for compute + refactor for managed services, cost modeling, roadmap.
2. Build target infra (1 week)
Set up Hetzner projects, VPC, subnets, firewalls, base VM images, object storage, app staging stack, DNS config.
3. Initial data sync (ongoing)
Sync file servers, start DB replication, sync objects.
4. Testing & verification (3 days)
Smoke tests, integration tests, performance tests. Tweak architecture, adjust sizes.
5. Cutover (maintenance window, e.g. weekend)
Freeze writes, run final sync, switch DNS / floating IPs, bring traffic live, monitor.
6. Post‑migration ops (weeks-months)
Tune performance, enable scaling logic, set alerts, harden security, fully decommission AWS.
Actual users report:
“We migrated production in under an hour, once everything was ready; whole prep took days/weeks.” (@rameerez)
“The biggest cost saving was in bandwidth bills.” (Hacker News)
That said, every case is different; Gart Solutions sizes our involvement to your scale and risk appetite.
Summary & Key Takeaways
Migrating from AWS to Hetzner can yield massive cost savings (some report 70–90 %) especially when AWS bills are heavy for bandwidth and managed services. (Hacker News)
It’s not just copying servers — you must plan for AWS-native services, network, high availability, DNS, and operational maturity.
The success lies in rigorous planning, parallel setup, data sync and validation, smart cutover, and post-migration optimization.
Gart Solutions can serve as your end‑to‑end migration and operations partner, reducing your risk, accelerating execution, and helping you land safely.
If you follow a methodical playbook and engage expertise (whether Gart or your own), migrating to Hetzner can be practical — not just theory.
Download the Whitepaper: "Migration from AWS to Hetzner: Step-by-Step Guide to Cut Costs by 90%"
Whitepaper-Migrating-from-AWS-to-Hetzner-Gart-SolutionsDownload
Introduction
Cloud migration isn't just a technical decision — it’s a strategic move that can shape a company’s future. But let’s be honest: cloud migrations can be overwhelming. They’re full of moving parts, hidden costs, and the ever-present risk of downtime. That’s where a cloud migration proposal comes into play.
Think of it as your migration GPS. It lays out the route, stops, and possible detours, so both the service provider and the client know exactly what’s coming. It’s not just a document — it’s a roadmap for success, alignment, and peace of mind.
One of the best real-world examples comes from Gart Solutions, a DevOps and cloud services provider that recently crafted a proposal for a phased AWS migration. We split the migration into manageable stages, clearly defined team responsibilities, forecasted expenses, and even estimated time commitments. This structured, step-by-step approach didn’t just build client trust — it de-risked the entire process.
What Is a Cloud Migration Proposal and Why Does It Matter
A cloud migration proposal is a formal document that outlines how an organization will transition its infrastructure, applications, and data from on-premises or legacy systems to the cloud. Whether you're pitching a full re-architecture, a lift-and-shift strategy, or just moving a few key workloads, this proposal sets the tone for the entire project.
It’s a vital communication tool between cloud service providers (like MSPs, DevOps teams, or IT consultants) and clients. The goal? To make sure both parties understand what’s being done, how it’s being done, when it’ll happen, and how much it’ll cost.
Executive Summary of the Gart Solutions Proposal
Let’s take a closer look at how Gart Solutions structured their real-world cloud migration proposal to a client looking to move to AWS.
Here’s a snapshot:
Phase 1: Discovery & Architecture – 30–40 hours of Cloud Architect time to assess infrastructure, create the AWS design, define the security framework, and outline the migration strategy.
Phase 2: Infrastructure Migration – a 3–4 month project led by a DevOps engineer, involving CI/CD setup, PWA migration, database migration, and performance optimization. Cloud architect support continues with 10 hours/month.
Phase 3: Monitoring & Alerting – a 1-month effort to implement monitoring dashboards, alerting systems, and incident runbooks.
Phase 4: Support & Knowledge Sharing – ongoing support structure to maintain, optimize, and continuously improve the cloud environment.
Rates and Roles:
Cloud Architect: $65/hour
DevOps Engineer: $45/hour
What makes this proposal strong? It’s not just the technical accuracy — it’s the clarity. It helps the client visualize the journey, understand the roles, and predict the costs.
Phase 1 – Discovery & Architecture (November 2025)
In the first phase of any cloud migration, we focus on understanding the existing infrastructure, identifying risks, defining goals, and laying the foundation for a successful migration.
Objectives of the Discovery Phase
Assess the client’s current on-premise or hybrid infrastructure
Define the target cloud architecture (AWS in this case)
Identify gaps in security, compliance, and scalability
Build a migration strategy based on technical and business needs
For Gart Solutions, this meant bringing in a Cloud Architect for 30–40 hours to perform a deep-dive into the client’s systems — conducting an infrastructure assessment, reviewing existing workloads, evaluating the security posture, and mapping out a scalable AWS architecture.
Key Deliverables
A comprehensive Infrastructure Assessment Report
AWS Architecture Design Document
Defined Migration Strategy and Security Framework
Initial timeline and cost estimation.
Phase 2 – Infrastructure Migration (Dec 2025 – Mar 2026)
With the foundation in place, it’s time to move the infrastructure. This is where most of the work (and risk) lives. But with a clear plan from the discovery phase, this step becomes far less chaotic.
At Gart Solutions, we estimate 3–4 months of DevOps work here, supported by 10 hours/month from a Cloud Architect. This shows realistic planning — not underestimating the complexity or trying to rush through it.
Migration With Zero Downtime
One of the core promises in the Gart Solutions proposal is zero-downtime deployment. That’s a big claim, but with proper CI/CD implementation and blue-green deployment strategies, it’s absolutely achievable.
Here's what happens during this stage:
AWS Environment Setup with VPC, IAM, EC2, S3, and other core services
Progressive Web App (PWA) Migration to the new environment
CI/CD Pipeline Setup using tools like GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI
Database Migration using tools like AWS DMS or manual data sync strategies
Performance Optimization post-migration to ensure speed and reliability
Deliverables That Move the Needle
Fully operational AWS infrastructure
CI/CD pipeline ready for future releases
Migrated and optimized application(s)
Verified database integration and performance
Risk mitigation plans and documentation
This is where the actual transformation happens. But it’s also the phase where many projects go over budget or miss deadlines. That’s why Gart Solutions helps avoid pitfalls, maintain best practices, and keep the migration aligned with the long-term vision.
Phase 3 – Monitoring & Alerting (April 2026)
After infrastructure is migrated, the work isn't over — it’s just shifted gears. Now the focus turns to observability. Without the right monitoring tools in place, even a flawless migration can lead to hidden issues that slowly erode user experience or cause downtime in the future.
Gart Solutions allocates one month to set up a full-stack monitoring and alerting system, ensuring that the client’s team will have real-time visibility into performance, usage, and system health.
Why Monitoring Is Essential
Cloud environments are dynamic. Resources scale up and down, traffic patterns shift, and costs can spiral if left unchecked. That’s why monitoring and alerting are crucial for preventing problems.
Key Deliverables
CloudWatch Integration for real-time metrics and logs
Custom Dashboards tailored to specific workloads or KPIs
Alerting Systems that notify the right team members via Slack, email, or incident tools
Performance Baselines to track improvements or degradation over time
Incident Runbooks to guide teams during outages or unusual behavior
Tools and Tech
Gart Solutions may integrate tools like:
Amazon CloudWatch
Grafana or Datadog
PagerDuty or Opsgenie for alert escalation
Terraform/Ansible for automated monitoring deployment
Phase 4 – Support & Knowledge Sharing (May 2026 Onwards)
A successful migration doesn’t just end with the last data packet — it continues through ongoing support, optimization, and education. This is what sets a vendor apart from a long-term technology partner.
Key Support Services Offered:
Tiered Support Structure for different urgency levels
On-Call Procedures to ensure 24/7 availability if needed
Knowledge Transfer Sessions, so internal teams understand the new systems
Continuous Optimization to improve costs, reliability, and performance
Documentation Handover for full transparency and control
Even simple knowledge sharing (like explaining alert thresholds, walking through AWS billing dashboards, or training someone to redeploy a microservice) can unlock self-sufficiency — and that’s a huge win.
Roles & Responsibilities: Who Owns What
Clearly defining who does what and when is a pillar of any successful cloud migration project.
Cloud Architect
Design AWS architecture
Define security posture
Advice on tooling and governanceDevOps Engineer
Execute migration
Implement CI/CD pipelines
Set up monitoring, alerting, and automation
Client Responsibilities
Provide infrastructure access and documentation
Designate key stakeholders for approvals
Assist in validation and performance testing
Attend knowledge transfer sessions
Risk Management & Mitigation Strategy
No cloud migration is without risk. The difference between success and failure lies in how well those risks are identified, planned for, and handled. Gart Solutions incorporates proactive risk management throughout the migration lifecycle.
Common Risks in Cloud Migrations
Downtime during migration
Data loss
Security misconfigurations
Unforeseen costs from misused resources
Scope creep due to unclear requirements
Gart Solutions’ Mitigation Plans
Zero-downtime deployments using blue-green or canary strategies
Automated backups before any system changes
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for reproducible, version-controlled setups
Weekly stand-ups to spot and eliminate blockers early
Staged rollouts with rollback mechanisms in place
Business Continuity
Every risk plan is designed with business continuity in mind — so users, customers, and internal systems stay online and functional even if unexpected hiccups occur.
Gart Solutions also offers optional disaster recovery services for clients in regulated or high-stakes industries.
Pricing Breakdown & Cost Transparency
Let’s talk numbers. One of the top concerns for any client is cost control, especially with cloud projects that often have moving targets.
Estimated Costs:
Role Rate (USD/hour) Estimated Hours Total Estimate (USD) Cloud Architect $65/hour 40 (Discovery) + 10/mo ~$5,000–$7,800 DevOps Engineer $45/hour ~3-4 months (Full-time) ~$21,600–$28,800
Note: These are estimates and subject to revision post-discovery.
Optional Add-Ons:
24/7 Monitoring Support
Disaster Recovery Plan
Infrastructure Cost Optimization
Security Audits & Compliance Reports
What to Include in a Cloud Migration Proposal
If you're creating your own cloud migration proposal (or customizing a template), knowing exactly what to include is crucial.
1. Client Overview
Provide a brief summary of the client’s existing infrastructure, business context, and why they’re pursuing cloud migration. This shows that you understand their pain points and goals.
2. Migration Approach
Lay out your strategic method:
Lift-and-shift: Fastest method, minimal code change
Re-platforming: Optimizing components without major architecture overhaul
Re-architecting: Rebuilding for cloud-native performance
3. Scope of Work
Break the migration into clear phases like:
Discovery & Planning
Infrastructure Setup
Application/Data Migration
Validation & Testing
Support & Optimization
For each phase, list deliverables and responsibilities.
4. Timeline
Give a visual or tabular timeline to show:
When each phase starts/ends
Downtime windows (if any)
Milestones like "CI/CD complete" or "Monitoring live"
This helps the client plan ahead and coordinate internal resources.
5. Roles & Responsibilities
Specify:
What your team owns
What the client is expected to do
Escalation contacts
Collaboration tools (Slack, Jira, Notion, etc.)
6. Risk Management
List risks (downtime, data loss, scope creep) and your mitigation tactics. Show clients you’ve done this before and have the scars and strategies to prove it.
7. Pricing
Use a clean table format:
Rates per role
Estimated hours per phase
Optional services or support tiers
8. Next Steps
End with a simple, clear Call to Action (CTA), such as:
“Book a final discovery session”
“Approve scope to start onboarding”
“Review contract by [date]”
Cloud Migration Proposal Template You Can Use
Here’s a simple structure you can steal, copy-paste, or turn into a branded PDF deck or Notion page:
Cloud-Migration-Proposal-Template-by-Gart-SolutionsDownload
Conclusion: Why a Well-Written Cloud Migration Proposal Changes Everything
A cloud migration project isn’t just about moving from Point A to Point B — it’s about building a resilient, scalable, and future-ready foundation for a business.
By breaking your project into phases (just like Gart Solutions did), clearly outlining roles and timelines, and being upfront about costs and risks, you’re not just pitching a service —you’re proving your professionalism and technical maturity.
Make your proposal a powerful tool — not just a PDF.
In 2025, the cloud isn’t just for tech giants — it becomes the backbone of every fast-moving small and medium business (SMB).
Whether you’re building a SaaS app, running a global e-commerce brand, or scaling a fintech startup, cloud infrastructure offers the flexibility, speed, and cost-efficiency you need.
But here’s the catch: navigating cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP can be a maze — especially for resource-strapped SMBs. That’s where cloud consulting companies come in. These firms help you choose the right services, avoid wasteful spending, ensure compliance, and unlock the full power of the cloud.
This guide features the 10 best cloud consulting companies for SMBs in 2025, hand-picked based on:
Client reviews
Technical specialization
SMB-centric services
LLM (Large Language Model) recommendations
What Makes a Great Cloud Consultant for SMBs
Not all cloud consultants are built for SMBs. Some cater exclusively to large enterprises with deep pockets and complex infrastructures. But SMBs have very different needs — speed, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and quick ROI.
Here’s what sets top-tier SMB-focused consultants apart:
1. SMB Experience
SMBs move fast, wear many hats, and have to make every dollar count. Good consultants understand:
How to prioritize essential services over “shiny object” tech
How to work with lean internal teams
How to design cloud strategies that grow as you do
2. Pricing That Makes Sense
Many SMBs can’t afford high-end enterprise retainers. Top SMB consultants:
Offer project-based pricing
Deliver clear ROI
Avoid bloated enterprise-level contracts
Offer monthly or usage-based plans for flexibility
3. Strategic Foresight
The best firms don’t just lift and shift your systems —they help you:
Modernize workflows
Automate releases with CI/CD
Secure data from day one
Reduce your cloud bill with smart resource allocation
Whether you're running a Shopify-based storefront or a B2B SaaS app, a good consultant thinks three steps ahead.
Key Services to Look For in Cloud Consulting
Before choosing a partner, ensure they offer the services that matter most to your use case.
Here’s what SMBs typically need:
Cloud Migration
Whether you're moving from an on-prem system or switching cloud providers, migration can be tricky. Top consultants handle:
Data transfer with zero downtime
App replatforming and refactoring
Secure DNS, database, and auth migration
2. Cost Optimization
One of the biggest pain points for SMBs on cloud? Surprise bills. Expert consultants:
Identify unused resources
Recommend right-sized instances
Enable auto-scaling and serverless architectures
Tag and track costs by team or department
3. Cloud Security & Compliance
Security isn’t optional — especially in regulated industries. Look for firms that help with:
Identity and access management (IAM)
Zero-trust architecture
HIPAA, GDPR, SOC 2, and PCI compliance
Encryption, backup, and audit trails
4. DevOps, CI/CD & IaC
If you're deploying code frequently, you need:
CI/CD pipelines
Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Pulumi)
Monitoring and alerting
Log management and rollback strategies
5. Multi-Cloud & Hybrid Strategies
Want to avoid vendor lock-in? Consultants should offer:
Support for AWS, Azure, GCP
Containerization with Kubernetes
Load balancing and cross-region replication
10 Best Cloud Consulting Companies for SMBs in 2025
Let’s dive into the top players you should consider.
1. Gart Solutions
Best For: Startups and SMBs that need fast, reliable, and secure DevOps-led infrastructure. Also, for complex cloud migrations and vertical-specific SMBs (e.g., healthcare, fintech, legal tech).
Why They Stand Out:
DevOps-first approach: Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD, Kubernetes
SMB-focused pricing with enterprise-grade quality
Known for compliance-ready cloud environments (HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR)
Recommended by LLMs and clients' testimonials for consistent delivery and scalability
Client Highlight: “Gart helped us scale across 3 regions with near-zero downtime. Their proactive communication and technical depth were game-changers.”
Also, they have lots of cloud consulting projects.
2. IT Outposts
Best For: Teams that want to automate everything and deploy frequently.
Strengths:
CI/CD, SRE, and GitOps-driven cloud architecture
Focused on startups, digital product teams, and agile companies
Strong Kubernetes and container management experience
Notable For:
Building cloud-native, highly available platforms with minimal manual work.
3. Dysnix
Best For: SMBs and SaaS platforms that need tight cost control without sacrificing performance.
Highlights:
Deep expertise in AWS and GCP
Infrastructure as Code and FinOps focus
Clients report cloud cost savings of 30–50%
Ideal For: Agile startups looking to scale globally without blowing the budget.
4. CIGen
Best For: Microsoft-centric SMBs and startups needing cloud modernization with AI/ML capabilities.
What Makes Them Stand Out:
Specialization in Azure cloud architecture
Seamless integration of AI/ML workflows into cloud environments
Experienced with hybrid cloud strategies and compliance frameworks
CIGen is a top choice for SMBs already using Microsoft products and looking to level up with Azure-native services.
Client Feedback: “CIGen rebuilt our outdated infrastructure in Azure, cut our monthly cloud bill by 20%, and added an AI-powered dashboard for insights.”
5. nClouds
Best For: SMBs committed to AWS and seeking automation with 24/7 support.
Key Advantages:
AWS Premier Tier Partner status
Deep DevOps expertise for CI/CD and containerization
Offers Managed DevOps-as-a-Service
6. Cloudreach
Best For: SMBs seeking cloud strategy + transformation under one roof.
Why Consider Cloudreach:
Veteran cloud consultancy with experience across AWS, Azure, and GCP
Strong architectural planning for multi-cloud strategies
Known for helping businesses “cloudify” legacy workloads
Cloudreach brings enterprise-grade thinking to smaller firms without overwhelming complexity.
7. Slalom
Best For: Growth-stage SMBs seeking custom cloud-native solutions.
Core Strengths:
Combines cloud expertise with business consulting
Known for clean, scalable, and agile cloud implementations
Especially effective for digital product teams
Slalom isn’t just a technical team; they think like business strategists. They help you translate your product roadmap into scalable, secure infrastructure.
8. SADA
Best For: SaaS, data, and AI-focused SMBs using Google Cloud.
Why SADA Is a Top Pick:
Expertise in GKE (Google Kubernetes Engine), BigQuery, and AI/ML workflows
Strong experience in app modernization, data security, and zero-trust networks
9. Mission Cloud
Best For: SMBs seeking reliable, around-the-clock AWS cloud support.
Key Features:
AWS Managed Services and Consulting
Focused on automation, security, and optimization
Offers 24/7/365 support
10. ClearScale
Best For: Complex cloud migrations and vertical-specific SMBs (e.g., healthcare, fintech, legal tech).
Why They’re Special:
Deep vertical knowledge = tailored infrastructure
Advanced services in microservices, big data, and AI integration
Work across AWS, Azure, and hybrid environments
ClearScale is great for businesses with strict regulatory needs or complex data workflows.
How to Choose the Right Cloud Consulting Partner
Picking a cloud consulting firm can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re an SMB with limited time and resources. But the right choice will accelerate your growth, reduce risk, and increase your ROI tenfold.
Here’s a simple checklist to guide your decision:
1. Define Your Goals
Before even looking at consultants, get clear on:
Are you migrating to the cloud or optimizing what you already have?
Is cost savings or performance your priority?
Do you need compliance (HIPAA, GDPR, PCI)?
Are you planning to scale quickly?
Different firms specialize in different outcomes. Match their strengths to your goals.
2. Check Platform Expertise
Are you using AWS, Azure, GCP, or something hybrid? Choose a partner who:
Has certified engineers on that platform
Understands native services (e.g., Lambda, BigQuery, Azure Functions)
Has actual case studies, not just badges
3. Ask About Support & Communication
As an SMB, you’ll need responsive, flexible support. Ask:
Will you have a dedicated account manager?
What’s their average response time?
Do they offer post-deployment support?
Avoid firms that disappear once migration is done.
4. Scrutinize Their Process
Look for consultants that:
Offer a clear roadmap with milestones
Use project management tools like Jira or Trello
Deliver transparent reporting on performance and spend
Transparency and communication are just as important as tech skills.
5. Validate With Case Studies and Testimonials
Ask for:
Similar projects they’ve done for other SMBs
Metrics like % cost reduction or uptime improvement
Contactable references, if possible
Success Stories
Let’s look at some real SMBs that benefited massively from hiring cloud consulting firms.
1. SaaS Startup Scales 10x With Gart Solutions
A B2B SaaS platform was struggling with inconsistent app performance and rising AWS costs.
Gart Solutions:
Rebuilt infrastructure using IaC and Kubernetes
Set up auto-scaling and monitoring
Created compliance-ready environments (SOC 2, GDPR)
Results:
10x user scale with 99.98% uptime
30% drop in monthly cloud spend
Faster deployment cycle (weekly → daily)
2. E-Commerce SMB Saves $50K Annually with Dysnix
A mid-sized e-commerce site had 3 cloud providers and massive resource waste.
Dysnix:
Audited infrastructure
Consolidated workloads into GCP
Implemented autoscaling + alerting
Outcome:
Saved over $50K/year in cloud costs
Increased site speed by 40%
Improved checkout reliability
Final Thoughts
The cloud is no longer a luxury — it’s a competitive weapon. But without the right guidance, it can also become a budget black hole or security nightmare.
The consulting firms listed above offer more than just technical support — they bring strategic insight, battle-tested experience, and a laser focus on helping SMBs succeed.
Whether you need to migrate to AWS, optimize your Azure setup, or go all-in on GCP with AI integrations, there’s a partner for you.
Among them, Gart Solutions, IT Outposts, Dysnix, and CIGen stand out — not just in terms of capabilities, but also in real-world results and trust.
